Starlight's Heir - ✔️

Chapter 29 - A Sacrifice

Moonlight filtered through the stained glass windows, washing the throne room in a kaleidoscope of shimmering colors. Aurora's soft footsteps were near silent compared to the loud squeaking of my running shoes across the marble floor.

"This -- all of this -- is your destiny. You are my heir, and one day you will be Queen."

Stopping next to my mother beside the ornate silver throne, I glanced around the room which she gestured to. A silver stone placed on a pedestal in the center of the room caught my eye. Encased in glass, it shone with a soft but radiant light even though the light coming through the windows didn't quite reach it.

Mesmerized, I walked over, placing my hands on the glass case and stared at the small stone. Though silver in color, it wasn't metal as it was translucent like the clearest diamond, and the glowing light emanated from it's shining core.

"What is this?" I breathed, enchanted by its beauty.

"This is our star. Our most cherished possession." The starlight reflected in Aurora's wonder-filled eyes as she came to stand beside me. She smiled at me, wrapping her gentle arm around my shoulders. "How much of our history do you know? Do you know where we come from?"

I thought back to everything Zev had told me the first time I had come here. "Zev told me that faeries were once angels, but there was a war and some of the angels fell and became demons and that the rest ended up as faeries."

"Precisely so. It was our duty to watch over and guard the human race, but upon our failure to do so, we fell, and with us, so did this star. It's a reminder of the sacred duty we neglected. We keep it here in this throne room because each ruler of the fae swear a vow when they take their place as King or Queen, a vow to uphold the promise we broke before our fall.

"This star contains powerful and pure magic. It binds the monarch's life force to the veil that protects our realms, and so long as the fae stand, so does the veil."

My eyebrows crinkled together in a frown. "But Zev said that the veil was weakening, how can that be? Everything here seems fine -- you seem fine, aren't you?"

Sadness darkened her demeanor. "Yes, child, but still the veil weakens nonetheless. The demons we fight are growing in strength and do everything in their power to weaken us, stealing you away was a major blow to our strength."

"I'm here now though, so everything is okay now, right?"

"I wish it were that simple, darling. But to have hidden you in the human realm for so long, they must have bound your power, and the only way to undo what was done is for you to accept your place as heir, to swear your vows to this star."

For the entirety of my life, I had nowhere I belonged. No people I could trust, and now I had found my place. Yes, it was a huge responsibility, one that might have been too big for me to handle on my own, but to help my people I could do it. It was my duty as heir after all. "Then why don't we do that? I want to help in any way I can."

She shook her head with a frown. "We could, and it would help, but you have to understand the cost. Once you unbound your power and tie yourself to this realm, you would no longer be able to live in the human realm. You would have to give up your human life."

That wouldn't have been much of a sacrifice, I didn't have very much to look forward to in the human realm, nothing really since my fiance had turned out to be a demon. But Chelsea's smiling face popped into my head. I may not have been a very good friend to her, but she was the only real friend I ever had. How could I just leave and never see her again? Perhaps that was too big of a sacrifice after all.

I couldn't make a decision like that in a second, so I backtracked, turning my thoughts to something less daunting. "Mom, why did the demons kidnap me? Couldn't they have just killed me and never had risked you finding me again?"

Aurora sighed, taking a moment before responding. "I've given that endless thought over the years. I don't know the reasons behind their actions, but if I had to guess I would say they thought they would get more power out of taking you. If they could corrupt your innocence and your heart, they would be able to take you to their realm and with your power, nothing would have been able to stop them."

My head spun from the weight of everything being thrust at me. Maybe she had been right to keep from telling me before, maybe it was too much for me to handle. My mother's steady arm around my shoulder was the only thing keeping me standing on my wobbling legs.

Concern etched itself onto her face as tremors racked my body. "Evelyn, honey? I think you need to lie down."

I nodded, leaning against her, letting her support me as we walked to the doors. She helped me up a flight of stairs and into a large, bright bedroom where I collapsed onto the soft bed.

Pulling a warm blanket over me, she kissed my forehead, brushing her hand across my hair.

"Mom?" I opened my eyes and grabbed her hand.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I want to stay here with you but I need to say goodbye to Chelsea first."

"Alright, darling. I'll have Elelas take you back in the morning, but for now, you need to sleep."

Letting go of her hand, I closed my eyes, my weariness overtaking me as her soft footsteps headed out the door.

So will getting to live a new life with her mother cost Evelyn her friendship with Chelsea? If it were you, what would your choice be? Could you choose?

And a huge thank you to all of my wonderful readers out there! Starlight's Heir is only in its third month, and is already approaching 1.2k reads and has 130 votes! Thank you so much for all of your love and support! I really appreciate your support and dedication! ❤️